Solar Eclipse
by Abagael
Summary: Tahiri Veila has never been happier. She’s about to marry Anakin Solo, her sweetheart. But her perfect life is about to be turned upside down. Waiting in the shadows, a sinister force is about to reveal itself, hell-bent on revenge. SW/Twilight X-Over.
1. Dramatis Personae

**Dramatis Personae:**

Alice Cullen – Vampire; Female Immortal  
Anakin Solo – Jedi Knight; Male Human  
Aro – Volturi Leader; Male Immortal  
Billy Black – La Push Elder; Male Human  
Caius – Volturi Leader; Male Immortal  
Carlisle Cullen – Vampire; Male Immortal  
Cilghal – Jedi Healer; Female Mon Calamari  
Corran Horn – Jedi Master; Male Human  
Demetri – Volturi Bodyguard; Male Immortal  
Edward Cullen – Vampire; Male Immortal  
Embry Call – Werewolf; Male Human  
Emmett Cullen – Vampire; Male Immortal  
Esme Cullen – Vampire; Female Immortal  
Han Solo – Captain, Millennium Falcon; Male Human  
Isabella Swan – College Student; Female Human  
Jacen Solo – Jedi Knight; Male Human  
Jacob Black – Werewolf; Male Human  
Jaina Solo – Jedi Knight; Female Human  
Jane – Volturi Bodyguard; Female Immortal  
Jared – Werewolf; Male Human  
Jasper Cullen – Vampire; Male Immortal  
Jysella Horn – Unknown; Female Human  
Kane Lester – Vampire Guard; Male Immortal  
Kaylee - Vampire Newborn; Female Immortal  
Kristov De Portell – Vampire Leader; Male Immortal  
Kyp Durron – Jedi Master; Male Human  
Leia Organa Solo – Co-pilot, Millennium Falcon; Female Human  
Luke Skywalker – Jedi Grand Master; Male Human  
Marcus – Volturi Leader; Male Immortal  
Mirax Terrik-Horn – Civilian; Female Human  
Paul – Werewolf; Male Human  
Quil Ateara – Werewolf; Male Human  
Rosalie Cullen – Vampire; Female Immortal  
Saba Sebatyne – Jedi Knight; Female Barabel  
Sam Uley – Werewolf; Male Human  
Shada D'ukal – Shadow Guard Member; Female Mistryl  
Tahiri Veila – Jedi Knight; Female Human  
Talon Karrde – Smuggler; Male Human  
Tresina Lobi – Jedi Knight; Female Chev  
Valin Horn – Jedi Padawan; Male Human  
Whistler Rae – Vampire Guard; Female Immortal  
Willard Moffat – Vampire Child; Male Immortal


	2. Prelude

_And it grew both day and night,_

Till it bore an apple bright,

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine.

-- A Poison Tree, William Blake.

_If I fall and all is lost,_

It's where I belong.

-- Cloud Nine, Evanescence.

_**Prelude**_

I was never one to shy away from danger.

In my short lifetime, I had fought against the might of Krayt Dragons, rogue Jedi, and matched the supreme power of the Yuuzhan Vong. Yet nothing, not one of those near-death experiences, could prepare me for what I was about to face.

My lover, twisted beyond recognition, and dizzy with bloodthirsty desire to see me cold in my grave. If I were lucky, I would make it out with my life. And if I weren't lucky, he would make it out with his.

Either way, life as I'd known it was over for me.

One way or another, it would end here.

Now.

Tonight.

And there was nothing I could do, nothing _anyone_ could do, to stop it.


	3. Chapter 1: Losing Control

_**Chapter 1: Losing Control.**_

It was the most exquisitely beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Long, soft lines of ivory and crystal shone up at me; portions of lace interspersed with intricate clusters of hand-stitched Mon Calamarian pearls and Hoth ice diamonds covered the length of my crimson duvet, an ocean of fabric that had been created especially for me.

I sighed in quiet awe as I continued to stare at the marvel lying before me, my pink lips upturned in the kind of silly grin only a hopelessly lovesick girl would wear.

It was true: I was in love. The deep, head-over-heels kind – and I was stupidly, goofily ecstatic for it.

In two months' time, I would be walking down the aisle in this glorious example of a gown, the eyes of over one hundred Galactic Alliance dignitaries all turned towards me and my blushing face.

I was over the moon. Literally.

The fabric felt like sugared air beneath my fingertips as I trailed my hand down the length of the tiered skirt, my mind drifting back to the night he proposed. The night my most treasured of dreams had come true.

He hadn't taken me to a fancy restaurant like most men would: he knew that I'd never cared for the finer things in life, and was most impressed by thoughtful little gestures of the heart than anything on a grand scale.

We ate a picnic under the stars, just the two of us and a glittering river, gazing up at the vast canopy of twinkling lights. Even now, some four months later, the memory of that night still manages to bring tears to my eyes.

I gripped the fabric tighter, my fingers snagging gently in a section of ivory lace. But he didn't propose by the river under a sea of stars. After the meal, which he had lovingly prepared with all my favourite dishes – papua fruit, nerf steak kebabs and an ice-cold bottle of Dathomirian wine – he'd taken me to a place that had set my blood racing in my veins, and my heart soar until I thought it would leap out of my open mouth.

It was an old, makeshift locker: a special durasteel and metal compound blend that was dented in several places, and had definitely been through the wars. Whether it was the same locker I was familiar with or not didn't really matter; what mattered was that he'd gone to the trouble of re-creating the location of our very first kiss – minus the life-threatening situation, of course!

My hands were around my face and covering the gasp that had fallen from my lips when he'd dropped down on one knee, his blue eyes locking with mine with such intensity that it had taken my breath away.

He'd asked me then, four little words that had had me squealing with joy. "Oh, Anakin, of course! Yes, of course!"

The ring had been on my finger in an instant: a dazzling arrangement of diamonds, emeralds and sapphires, encased in a shell of white gold. I stared at it now as the gemstones shone under the artificial light, little diamond-shaped beams of rainbow light bouncing across the room and over the expanse of fabric, making my dress seem like it was alive with the most stunning of fires.

I picked up my dress – carefully, so as not to catch my ring in the tiny holes of the lace – and held it up against my body as I gazed at my reflection in the full-length mirror on my wardrobe door. It truly was exquisite, I sighed.

Now, if I could only try it on for a second...

I'd barely managed to slip my tank top off when I felt a ripple in the Force. It was only the smallest of ripples, so much so that any normal Jedi would simply ignore it and continue with whatever it was they were doing. But I was so in tune with my new fiancé – on a spiritual level – that I recognised his approach in an instant.

He was much closer than I'd first thought, too – as in "right-outside-my-door" close. He'd probably thought it would be funny to practice his newfound aura-masking technique on me; but given what I'd just been about to do, his game was about as amusing as a Wookiee on bath day!

In a blind panic, I picked up my discarded tank top and threw it on, my arms getting caught in the sleeves and wasting valuable time as I was forced to unhook myself. The dress I was more careful with, putting it gently – albeit quickly – back on its satin hanger and placing it inside my wardrobe. It would have to wait to be put back in its protective calico bag.

I breathed a sigh of relief: the evidence was hidden, and not a moment too soon! The door hissed behind me, and as I whirled around to face the intruder, Anakin Solo's amused face peered at me from the other side.

"I didn't startle you, did I?" he asked me, his trademark Solo grin twisting into a knowing smirk. No doubt he was taking in my flushed cheeks, laboured breathing and the sharp movement of my left foot as I tried to discreetly push the empty calico bag under the bed without him noticing.

I was hopeless at this. I could never hide anything from Anakin.

Instead of admitting it outright, I decided to go on the defensive and play to my strength – and his weakness. My guilty expression quickly transformed into one of blind indignation, and I took a step towards him with my hands firmly planted on my hips.

"No!" I responded, outraged. "I knew you were coming a mile off. Looks like you need a bit more practice with that technique of yours, Solo."

For his part, Anakin managed to look quite abashed at this. His own cheeks took on a soft pink hue as his gaze momentarily fell away from mine, and he began to worry his bottom lip with his teeth.

I felt a pang of remorse as I watched his bravado deflate, but brushed it away before it would show in my appearance or our Force-bond; after all, didn't Anakin always tell me we needed to overcome our weaknesses? And if so, it was really my duty to help him curb his cockiness. It was his biggest weakness, after all.

It was all I could do not to smile like an idiot as Anakin looked up at me, his face set in an adorable grimace. "That bad, huh?"

I played along, my fury dying down in favour of a more pacifying expression. "Oh, yes. I half-thought about pretending to be surprised when you burst in here, but then decided that wouldn't really be fair. You really want to get a handle on this technique before our next assignment, and I wouldn't be a very good girlfriend if I didn't at least _try_ and help."

"Fiancé," Anakin corrected smoothly.

I blushed, not even bothering to stop the goofy grin from spreading across my face.

"Right. Fiancé."

Anakin was smiling now, too: _really_ smiling, his face set in a big, wide grin that showed two rows of perfect, white teeth. I could feel my façade slipping as I stared longingly at his parted lips (Anakin had the audacity to grin even more then, if that was even possible).

I was a goner.

Anakin laughed, and I groaned. "How did you know?" I asked him, face between my hands in utter mortification. My cheeks were blazing so red that they were like a furnace against my palms.

He chuckled lightly. "Well, if your shirt wasn't inside out and back-to-front, I might have bought it."

I groaned again, the sound muffled from my hands. Something soft and warm touched my wrists, the gentle pressure pushing my hands downward and away from my flaming face.

I looked up and opened my eyes. Anakin stood before me in all his beauty, his lips quirked to one side and his ice blue eyes glittering in delight. He was still holding onto my wrists.

His breath ghosted over my lips as he leaned closer still, and all thoughts of breathing were quickly pushed from my mind. I let my tongue peek out for the briefest of moments as I held my breath, wetting my bottom lip and waiting, with great anticipation, for what was sure to come.

It had been six days since we'd seen each other last. If Anakin had missed me even half as much as I'd missed him, he'd be ravenous just thinking about being able to kiss and hold me again.

I wet my lips again and swallowed thickly. I could feel Anakin's pulse quicken through his fingertips. He sighed softly, and my eyelids fluttered shut.

This was it… Any second now…

"So… I really did surprise you, didn't I?"

I pulled out of his grasp and slapped him in the centre of his chest with an open palm.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, though it wasn't said in a shocked or an exasperated tone. He was chuckling again.

He was playing with me, I realised, and my reaction was just what he'd been hunting for. Jerk!

"Anakin Solo, you're incogitable!"

I threw myself down on the bed in an effort to look like he'd disparaged me, but it was a half-hearted attempt. He was at my side in an instant, wrapping his arms around me and dragging me onto his lap. I happily obliged, snuggling closer to his taut chest and ducking my head into the crook of his neck.

I exhaled with a breathy little hum as his arms tightened around me. This was what I'd missed so much, even though it had only been six days. No matter where we were or what we were doing – even if we were in the midst of a deadly battle – if Anakin was by my side, I always felt safe and content.

He gave me a soft kiss on the top of my head and I almost melted from the tenderness the flowed through our Force-bond at the gesture. He'd definitely missed me, too.

I leant my head up towards his, and at the same time, he bent his to meet mine. Our lips came together in the most gentle of kisses; Anakin's parting beneath my sweet breath as it politely asked for admittance.

I sighed, but the sound was lost in our kiss as it deepened, Anakin's fingers winding in the loose curls of my hair. My own fingers were also busy, working their way from button to button as they deftly endeavoured to divest him of his shirt.

Once the task was complete, I pushed the ebony fabric away from his skin, letting my hands roam free over his naked chest. My nails skimmed over his pert pectorals and down his chiselled abdomen, but were stopped on their journey further southward by a firm grip.

I glanced up in confusion as Anakin slowly pushed me away, letting go of my wrist when his booted feet had managed to find the floor again. He gave me a soft kiss on the tip of my nose and threw me an apologetic grin.

"Sorry," he said. "I always lose control when I'm around you."

I wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about, but I was still desperately craving his touch, and so far, he hadn't moved far enough away so that he was completely out of my reach.

Acting on impulse, I stretched out with one hand, and, letting the Force aide me, pulled him back onto the bed beside me. Before he had time to protest I straddled his hips and leant towards him, my breath sweet with desire.

"Don't be sorry. Maybe I _want_ you to lose control."

Anakin groaned and pushed again, this time so that I rolled off him. He ducked out from underneath me and paced his way to the opposite end of the room, running his hands through his sandy hair and cursing under his breath.

I'd never seen him so frustrated before, not since our time spent fighting the Yuuzhan Vong, and it worried me that he should be this worked up now. Something was very wrong.

I tried not to let my fear get the better of me, but with Anakin falling to pieces in front of my very eyes, it was virtually pointless. My lips quivered as I tried to find the right words. I took a deep breath to steady myself, and then asked the dreaded question.

"Anakin, what's going on?"

Even to my ears, my voice sounded foreign and wrong, like someone else had possessed my body and was speaking for me. Anakin's head snapped up at my words, but he said nothing; the first thing I noticed was that he didn't even try to disguise the pain in his eyes.

I shuddered at the combination of his pained expression and the feeling he was projecting through the Force and plunged on, regardless.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Still, he said nothing, though he continued to stare at me with clear torment etched all over his face. Now _I_ was falling to pieces. I could feel my hands start to shake, so I sat on them in an effort to bring some control back.

"You know me, Anakin. We trust each other. Please, just tell me what's going on!"

I was begging now, but I was grasping at straws. If he didn't tell me what was so obviously distressing him soon, I had a feeling my head would explode with the effort to keep my emotions in check.

At last he let out a deep, juddering breath, and divulged the whole, shocking story in one mouthful. "I blew it, Tahiri. I blew it big time, and now Jysella Horn is... is gone! I thought I knew what I was doing, I was masking my presence and I was sure none of them knew I was there, but they must have known, because the next thing I remember is seeing black and waking up with a splitting headache... and Jysella is _gone_! She's gone, and it's all my fault!"

I tried to make sense of everything he'd said, but the only thing that had really sunk in was the mention of Jysella. I clutched at the name like a lifeline; desperate to understand the jumbled explanation I'd received.

"What do you mean, 'gone?'" I whispered.

Anakin had bowed his head, but he looked up at me again, his eyes red around the edges and two long tear tracks visible on his flushed cheeks. He croaked out his response.

"They took her."

My mind went back over the events of the last week and a half: the news of the missing Force-sensitive children on Denon, the bizarre cloaked men seen lurking around the old Jedi Temple on Ossus, and Master Skywalker asking Anakin to assist in the investigation of the strange kidnappings.

I still didn't understand what had gone wrong. Clearly Anakin's distress, the mysterious men and Jysella Horn's disappearance were all linked to the unexplained incidents of the past few days, but what could possibly make Anakin blame himself?

And then I knew – without even having to really think – what had happened.

It all suddenly made sense: his effort to hide himself from me this afternoon, the way his expression had faltered when I'd teased him about his lack of skill at masking his presence, and the heartbreaking tenderness in his touch as he'd held me and rocked me in his arms. None of this was about me, or our wedding, or even missing me during his six days on assignment: he was in deep, agonizing pain over Jysella's kidnapping – something I was sure must have resulted from his overconfidence in his own ability – and he was trying to keep it from me.

What I couldn't comprehend was _why_ he would want to keep something like that from me. And then I knew the answer to that question as well – Anakin was trying to minimise my pain, and the only reason I would be in great bouts of pain would be if he were going somewhere for an indefinite amount of time, with considerable risk.

He was going after Jysella!

I gasped in spite of myself and Anakin leant against the far wall, a sad sort of smile playing at the edges of his lips.

"I knew you'd figure it out," he said. A small amount of pride had snuck into his tone. "Uncle Luke doesn't give you nearly enough credit."

"Anakin..." I breathed.

His smile fell away, and the shutters closed over his eyes at once, until his expression was both hard and blank. "Don't," he told me. "I already know what you're going to say, and it isn't necessary. I know what I did and didn't do."

"But that wasn't what I was going to say at all!" I protested, leaping to my feet, the lights in the room flickering with the rise of my anguish.

Anakin's attention shifted briefly to the lights in the ceiling, before once again reverting to my face. The shutters were still firmly down on his emotions; I could feel nothing but coldness through the Force.

I wanted to tell him that this wasn't his fault, that things happen for a reason, but I knew the sentiment wouldn't be appreciated, so instead I said what I knew he _really_ wouldn't want to hear, making sure to put as much conviction into my speech as possible.

"You're not going to do this alone, you know. I'm going with you."

"Absolutely not!"

He growled his reply, and at the same time kicked off from the wall, charging at me until we were mere inches apart. "You don't understand the risk," he started to say, but I cut him off, spitting my retort in his face.

"I understand the risk perfectly, flyboy! Remember, you're not the only Jedi Knight in this room."

I was fuming now, my desire to hold him forgotten as we glared at each other, our eyes glinting with mirrored sheets of durasteel. Anakin cracked first, groaning wildly as he spun himself around and fisted his hair, almost pulling out a fair portion of it in the process.

I flinched at the animal quality to his cry but said nothing and stood my ground, waiting for him to counteract my argument. He didn't disappoint.

"That's not what I meant at all and you know it!" he cried. He took a deep, calming breath. "What I meant was that I'm not willing to risk _you_, Tahiri; not now, not on this mission. You're too important to me."

He stretched out to put a hand on my cheek but I batted it away, uncaring for the time being of the flash of hurt that flittered over his face. I'd reached breaking point; I'd never been so incensed in all my life. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"And what are you, rancor bait?" I screeched. I couldn't help it – my voice had risen to a pitchy crescendo, and I was certain anyone without a one-mile radius of my apartment would be able to hear every word I said. I didn't' care.

"Tahiri..."

"No!" I interjected wildly. "Don't you dare, Anakin Solo! Don't you _dare_ try and placate me! I love you – don't ask me why, because for the life of me right now I have no idea – but I do, and if you think for one second that I'm going to let you go off on some crazy mission without me, you've got another thing coming. If I have to manipulate every Jedi on the Council, I'll do it; if I have to bribe the shipping guards to let me within a mile of your ship, I'll do it; if I have to sneak aboard your ship and spend the entire journey in the cooling ducts... I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I'm there with you, whether you like it or not!"

Anakin was staring at me, his mouth open and his blue eyes wide. I threw him a half-smirk and added: "The gentlemanly thing to do here would be to give in and let me go with you."

His eyes narrowed.

"It was just a suggestion," I supplied, sheepish.

He cleared his throat and was about to say something when the comm. hanging from his belt started to beep, interrupting our conversation. Anakin's eyebrows furrowed – no doubt because of the timing of the interruption – but he didn't turn away from me as he picked up the small device and clicked it once to answer the call.

His eyes gave me the "we're-not-done-here-yet" stare as he listened to the person on the other end through a headset he'd just procured from a side pocket. Obviously he didn't trust me enough to listen in on both sides of the exchange. I rolled my eyes in mild disgust.

Most of the conversation – on Anakin's end – was conducted in short, noncommittal grunts (affirmatives, I gathered). Just as things looked to be wrapping up, his hard gaze connected with mine again, and his mouth formed a tight line.

"Yes, I'm with her now," he said, his tone clipped.

My ears pricked up. He was talking about me.

"Of course. We'll be right there."

Anakin pressed the side button and the discussion was terminated. He slowly packed away the comm. device and the headset, refusing to meet my probing gaze as he did this.

I pushed as hard as I could through our Force-bond, as well, but his mind was like a durasteel fortress when he wanted it to be: impenetrable even for those closest to him, but especially for me.

Finally, his eyes met mine again, his face chiselled into a cold, hard mask as he looked at me. I was suddenly nervous; my lips were dry, and every ounce of blood had drained from my neck, upward.

"It looks like you'll get your wish after all," he said. "That was Uncle Luke. He wants to see us."


	4. Chapter 2: Crime & Punishment

_**Chapter 2: Crime and Punishment. **_

The walk to the Council quarters was the longest, most tense moment of my life. It felt to me almost like a death march – as if every step I took got me closer and closer to the end, with a horrifying, public death waiting for me at my destination.

Anakin was stoic and silent beside me, his Force-aura radiating muted displeasure, and a hint of unease. Again, I found his cold demeanour unnerving, and not for the first time that day, I wished I'd been told the full story of what had happened during his six-day absence back in the safety of my apartment.

Jysella Horn was missing, that much was certain; but what was, at this stage, unconfirmed, Anakin's role in her disappearance. Sure, I'd gathered that his self-confessed "foolproof" new Force technique of masking his presence had someone failed him and resulted in Jysella's capture, but I wasn't certain. At that stage in the conversation, Anakin had all but shut himself off to the Force, making it near impossible for me to find out so much as what he'd had for lunch from his shuttered mind.

But that wasn't the worst of it, not even close. These strange men in cloaks that had started popping up all over the galaxy were a different concern altogether. Nobody really knew what they were doing or what they even wanted, yet wherever they appeared, you could bet your sanity that one or more Force-sensitive children would go missing.

Anakin was very concerned about them: more concerned than he'd let on to me, I was sure of it. And he'd pretty much concluded that they were the ones who were taking the children – when questioned about Jysella's disappearance, the only thing he'd said was: "They took her."

It made no sense. What would anyone want with Force-sensitive children? Of course, I knew there were plenty of things one could do with someone who was in tune with the Force – the talents of a Jedi Knight proved quite the temptation for some of the more disreputable beings of the galaxy – but these were children that were being taken, most of them raw and completely untrained, not finely tuned Jedi with a vast array of skills at their disposal.

And there in laid the draw!

I wasn't able to make sense of it back in the apartment because I was too busy being furious with Anakin, but now that I could look at things with a calm approach, I found all of the pieces of the puzzle falling into place like they'd been there the entire time. The strangers weren't targeting fully trained Jedi because they were too easily suspicious and much too difficult to corner and capture (unless one had many, many armed forces at their disposal, which I assumed these men didn't have).

Force-sensitive children who hadn't yet been detected by the Jedi Council, on the other hand, were an easy catch for a would-be villain and a much less noticeable prize.

Now that I'd deduced what was going on, I wanted to know more. Suddenly the Council quarters weren't close enough; I wanted to know more _now_! Who were these men and what were they planning on doing with their hordes of stolen children?

I turned to Anakin to ask him about it, but before I'd even opened my mouth, he was giving his head a curt shake. Clearly, I'd not done a very thorough job of concealing my thoughts during my musings.

The walk dragged on even more now that I knew what was going on, my desperation for more answers much stronger than it was when I'd known next to nothing.

To distract myself from my thirst for knowledge, I turned my attention elsewhere: to my wedding.

It was easy enough to divert my attention from anything – even my concerns of the mysterious child-stealing men – when my mind was on my upcoming marriage. Jaina would be coming home for the ceremony; she'd promised Anakin the day he'd told her of our happy news. Yet she wouldn't be in the wedding party. The only time anyone would ever get her in a dress, she'd said, would be for her to own wedding.

I'd heartily agreed with her. Though I loved my dress to pieces and I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the galaxy – after Anakin – it would definitely be the only dress I'd ever wear.

I smiled wistfully as the image of my perfect ivory gown sprang to the forefront of my mind. The fine sheets of ivory satin and hand-weaved lace were the highest quality of its kind (thanks to Anakin's mother, Leia); the myriad of organic pearls and diamonds from the far reaches of the galaxy scattered throughout only managed to increase its perfection in my eyes.

The gown had cost Leia a small fortune, though she'd never told me exactly _how_ much. It was imperative that I took extra special care of it, especially until I had to wear it in two months' time.

The smile slipped from my face as I remembered where my gown was at this very moment – _not_ in its protective calico bag, where it should be at all times, but hanging in my wardrobe, alongside my collection of tank tops, slacks and jumpsuits. I groaned aloud, and Anakin gave me a funny look.

If anything happened to that dress, Leia would _kill_ me!

We reached the Council gates in due time, Anakin still managing to remain silent for the rest of the trip.

When we pushed our way through the heavy golden gates, however, he turned to me for the first time since leaving the apartment complex. His hand grasped my left shoulder firmly to halt my approach, and his ice blue eyes searched my face, flicking from one side to the other as if he half-expected me to fall apart at the seams.

I flashed him a wan smile, but said nothing, waiting for him to break the ice first. He seemed nervous as he looked me over; the muscles in his jaw moved as he struggled to find the right words.

My impatience got the better of me and I crossed my arms over my chest, quirking one brow and uttering a defiant-sounding, "Yes?"

Anakin blanched at my surliness, but nodded in resignation. After our argument earlier, he must have anticipated a reception such as this.

Two deep breathes later, and it seemed Anakin had conjured enough courage to say what he'd wanted to say when he'd stopped me.

"I'm sorry, Tahiri, for everything I said to you before. I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't as important to you as you were to me, and I'm ashamed at having alluded to the fact that I thought you were less of a Jedi than me. You're not, and I've never thought that. I shouldn't have said it, and I'm sorry."

I took in his earnest expression: the quietly hopeful sparkle in his eyes, and the little twitch at the corners of his mouth – an almost smile. It was so hard to stay mad at him.

"I forgive you," I said softly.

I turned to continue on down the path, but found I was stalled. Anakin's hand was still resting, rather securely, on my shoulder. I gave him a curious look and tried to shrug out of his grasp. His grip tightened imperceptibly. .

"Was there something else?" I asked him, brows furrowed.

His cheeks flushed a brilliant fuchsia, and for a split second, I thought I saw a tiny trickle of sweat run down the edge of his face. This was definitely a side to Anakin I'd never seen before, and it scared the breath from my lungs.

What else could he possibly have to admit to me, and how bad would it be when he did?

A light breeze whipped across the open compound and I shivered. I wished I'd thought to bring a jacket: it was early evening now, and the sun had almost completely disappeared behind the skyline of high-rise buildings.

In the dying light, Anakin's coloured face looked even more eerie – the whites of his eyes were unnaturally bright, the blue of his irises burning molten with the fire from the setting sun. I took a large gulp of air, suddenly remembering to breathe.

Anakin lips turned downward. It was the most pathetic, resigned expression I think he'd even worn. He sighed, and I held my breath once more.

He chose his words carefully, skipping over each one slowly, the whole time searching my face for any change in my expression.

"I'll understand if… after we leave here… you never want to speak to me again."

I blinked twice, lost for words. I was sure my mouth would be hanging open large enough to fit my fist inside. What in Force was he thinking?

My mind melded with his, trying to make sense of what he was saying. I was shocked to find his mind was wide open; the shutters had vanished, and any and every thought he'd ever had in his entire life was ripe for the picking. I sifted through the chunk of unnecessary feelings, past his childhood ramblings and, though I would have loved to linger, past the passionate pulses that he saved only for me.

I found it at last, what he'd wanted me to find. I hadn't needed to search for long. His aura pulsed as I touched the surface, my invisible, probing tendrils stroking the images to life in my own mind. I gasped at what I saw; I couldn't help it. From somewhere on the other side of the haze, I felt Anakin flinch.

"You took Jysella with you!"

It wasn't a question, but a statement, made in such a shrill, rasping tone that my voice cut through the cool air, ringing out across the flat land and echoing off the nearby establishments.

Anakin recoiled again. I felt the anger from earlier begin to bubble inside me. No wonder he blamed himself for Jysella's kidnapping. It really _was_ his fault!

I stood there fuming, waiting for him to contradict me, to justify why he would even _consider_ doing such a reckless thing – to the daughter of my old Jedi Master, of all people – but he said nothing, his eyes flickering everywhere but never meeting mine.

I snapped. "What were you thinking, Anakin Solo? Jysella Horn? She's not even old enough to be going out on missions yet, little own going off with a Jedi who isn't even a proper Master yet!"

"I know."

"And what about Master Horn? He must be furious with you, taking his daughter out and then _losing_ her – Force, _I'm_ furious with you!"

"I know."

"For kriff's sake, Anakin, what were you thinking?" I took a breather, utterly exasperated with the situation. "Well, we have to fix this. We have to get her back, before those, those – _men_ – do something to her."

"I know!" Anakin bellowed. "I know all this, Tahiri. I know it's my fault; that I didn't think; that it was stupid, reckless of me, to take Jysella along. I know that you're furious with me – everyone is, and they should be! I don't deny responsibility: this one's all on me, I know it is. And as much as I _appreciate_ you wanting to help, I have to fix this. Alone."

"Like hell you are!" I hissed.

A scuffing noise from behind us forced the conversation to a halt. As I averted my gaze, eyes still blazing with fury, I recognised the distinct Force signature of my former Master, Corran Horn.

My expression softened the second I turned to face him, though my eyes were slightly narrowed, wary. I wondered how long he'd been standing there. He'd probably heard everything. I blushed at the thought.

Corran gave me a small nod in acknowledgment, but he didn't speak, brushing past me to enter the Council chambers, his posture stiff and aberrant. He didn't even glance in Anakin's direction. I didn't blame him.

I followed Master Horn into the expansive complex, glaring at Anakin over my shoulder. "We'll continue this later," I warned.

"No, we won't," was his reply.

Luke Skywalker looked like he'd aged a lifetime in a few weeks. His face was more lined than I remembered, and there were dark bags under his eyes that I was sure had never been there before. All in all, he looked tired and old.

The Jedi Grand Master ran a shaking, wrinkled hand through his sandy blonde hair (though it was more grey than blonde these days). His pale blue eyes roamed around the room, taking in each and every face seated around the circular room.

It was a large turnout. Almost all the Council members were here: Corran Horn, of course, was present, as well as the Barabel who'd trained Anakin's mother for a time, Saba Sebatyne, and the Jedi Knight, Tresina Lobi. Those present in holographic form only – Kyp Durron and the Jedi Healer, Cilghal – shimmered iridescently on opposing sides of the room.

Anakin and I stood in the centre; the focal point of today's meeting. I'd never been very fond at being stared at – unless, of course, I was dressed in ivory satin and lace – but the way each Council member stared at me, their gazes hard, was quite disconcerting.

I began to fidget as I got nervous, my fingers toying with the hem of my aqua tank top. I pulled a thread out from one end and twirled it in my palm, coiling it around my middle finger so tightly that it started to throb.

Anakin elbowed me in the ribs as inconspicuously as possible. I dropped the thread, the circulation returning to my pounding finger. Saba Sebatyne gave me an unpleasant, toothy glare.

"I guess we should start from the beginning," Master Skywalker said in his usual soft voice. "Anakin, would you mind?"

Anakin shook his head. It wasn't like he had much of a choice now, anyway.

When he began, his voice was surprisingly clear, despite the horde of mynocks that I could feel flapping around in the pit of his stomach. I gave his hand a mental squeeze for courage, even though I was still seething at what he'd done.

"Uncle…er, _Master Skywalker_, had been concerned about the number of disappearing Force-sensitives for some time; he suspected some dark forces were at work. I disagreed with him at the time. I could feel nothing sinister in the Force, and I was certain of my abilities in that regard.

"But I agreed to look into the situation further. Six days ago, I left on a short, reconnaissance trip to Corellia. There had been an advertisement for a Jedi Tryout session in one of the small, circulating news publications there. Master Horn had uncovered the tip during his last trip home."

He gave a nod in the Jedi Master's direction; Corran stared stonily ahead as if his name hadn't even been mentioned.

Anakin continued after a short pause. "When I arrived on the planet, I immediately set out to scope out the area which would be used for the tryouts in a few days' time, checking for the best vantage points, shadow areas which could conceal weapons or extra guards, and making note of all the exits and entrances in and out of the complex.

"Once I was more than familiar with my surroundings, I just had to sit and wait for the events to unfold. Mirax contacted me on my third day on the surface. She'd been told I was in town, and invited me to dinner with the family."

I was watching Corran with great interest now. I'd seen all of this played out in Anakin's mind outside the chambers, but to hear it spoken now, especially given the present company, put a whole new, shocking twist on the tale. Corran's eyes had narrowed slightly at the mention of his wife – or perhaps it was at the mention of who'd told Mirax Anakin had been in town. My guess was that it was Corran.

"I accepted her invitation, and spent the evening with the Horns. Mirax asked a few questions about my assignment, to which I was unable to answer, given Master Skywalker's instructions that I keep my investigation secret. She understood."

Tresina Lobi chose that moment to interrupt. "And at what point did you decide to take the youngling, Jysella Horn, with you on your mission?"

Anakin wasn't fazed by the question – or if he was, he didn't show it. He swivelled so that he was facing the Chev and responded, his tone smooth. "After dinner, I was speaking to Valin about the differences between power couplings used in podracers and in security devices when Jysella sent me a message through the Force.

"One of her friends had gone missing a month earlier during a vacation on Mon Calamari, and she wanted to find her. Somehow during dinner, she'd broken through my mental blocks – don't ask me how – and had deduced what I was doing on Corellia.

"I told her I would help any way I could, and that was the end of it. I left the next day and went back to my task, and I didn't give Jysella's conversation a second thought. It wasn't until the day of the tryouts, when Jysella turned up outside, that I realised she'd thought I'd meant we would _literally_ work together. She wouldn't take no for an answer, and to take her back to her mother would mean abandoning the stake out, so I compromised."

"You compromized with Jyzella Horn'z life?" Saba Sebatyne rasped in outrage.

"I thought I could control the situation. There were only three men that I could see, and they had no Force powers that I was aware of. Jysella said she'd had practice masking her presence, that she could be my eyes and ears inside the complex. I thought we could pull it off!"

Kyp Durron's condescending voice blared out through the open room. "You listened to a child? Anakin, I thought you were instructed better than that!"

"I'd thank you to adjust your tone, Master Durron," Corran Horn's icy clip interjected. "That is my daughter you're talking about."

"Yes," Master Durron agreed sarcastically. "The same daughter that ran away from home to ambush a Council-appointed mission, if I remember correctly."

I stared in shock, the meeting disintegrating before my eyes. Anakin stood beside me, silent and on guard.

"How dare you!" Corran thundered accusingly. "My daughter was led astray by a Jedi too cocky for his own good! Don't you _dare_ turn this around on Jysella!"

"Anakin Solo isn't cocky, Master Horn. He's realistic, and he gets results."

"Well, you'd know all about cocky, _Durron_."

"Enough!"

I jumped back as Luke's frustrated cry broke through the increasingly bitter argument. Both Corran's head and Kyp's holographic one shot towards the fuming Grand Master, their mouths snapping shut at once. Corran mumbled an apology, but Kyp stared defiantly ahead, almost challenging Master Skywalker to call him out as the one in the wrong.

Personally, I thought they were _both_ in the wrong. An innocent child was missing, and they were using the situation to squabble amongst themselves like petty younglings! It was absurd!

I focused my attention on what Master Skywalker was saying.

"…acting like a pair of half-bred rancors in a china shop! While Master Durron does have a point," he looked at Corran, holding up a hand when the other Jedi spluttered in protest, "the onus is still on Anakin's shoulders. He might not have encouraged Jysella to sneak away like that, but he did have a choice whether or not to call the whole thing off, and he chose against that; so I'm afraid, Anakin, that you must be made accountable for your serious lack of judgement."

Kyp scowled. Corran looked sanctimonious. Anakin just nodded sagely.

I was perplexed. That was _it_? Where was the fire and brimstone, the harsh punishment that would make Anakin cringe and me object with wild conviction? The other Jedi in the room were all still looking to Master Skywalker, who was at present murmuring quietly to Master Horn. After a moment, Corran bowed his head and the room once again dissolved in quiet conversation.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Anakin. I was hoping he could shed some light on the situation for me. I'd never sat in on a Jedi Council session before, and the whole process was utterly bizarre.

"They're deciding my fate," he murmured back.

I chanced a glance at my fiancé to see how he was holding up, given the circumstances. His posture was rigid, but not uncomfortably so like Corran's had been earlier; his hands were fisted loosely at his sides, his eyes never wavering from Luke's.

Even at a time like this, when he'd done a _very_ stupid thing and was on the verge of what I was sure would be a serious reprimand, he looked ludicrously beautiful. A few locks of sandy brown hair had fallen into his eyes, and it was all I could do to stop myself from reaching over and brushing them out of the way. My thoughts drifted back to how that hair had felt beneath my fingers as we'd kissed on my bed; how his chiselled muscles had twitched with the heat of my palms; how he'd melted at the smallest contact between us.

I snapped myself out of my frivolous reverie, giving myself a mental scolding. Now was _not_ the time to be thinking such thoughts, especially not when there was a room full of highly trained Force users surrounding me.

I felt Anakin smirk slightly beside me, and I had the indescribable urge to kick him. He was always snooping around in my mind when he wasn't wanted!

At long last, the murmured voices ceased, and Master Skywalker turned back to face us both.

"Sorry to keep you both waiting," he said. "We've come to a decision, at long last."

He looked at Anakin. "Given your recent indiscretion, the Council believes a period of rest is in order, and asks you to relinquish you role as a Jedi Knight for this Order until further notice.

"Furthermore, the Council has requested that you take no additional part in the investigation of the missing Force-sensitives. That includes in the aiding of the recovery of Padawan Jysella Horn."

I was floored. His punishment was to be taken off the case? They could never enforce such a thing! The minute they turned their backs, Anakin would rush off on his own one-man crusade to save Jysella: just like he'd done back when I was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong.

And history repeats itself, I thought wryly.

Anakin nodded in agreement to his uncle's verdict, though I could see that all of the colour had now drained from his face. He was so white, in fact, that he could have been a ghost – if it weren't for the thick red rings around his eyes, that is.

I was about ready to leave and give my fiancé a piece of my mind for the unofficial rescue mission I _knew_ he was planning on staging, when Master Skywalker spoke again.

"Tahiri," he said.

I automatically cleared my mind of any impure thoughts and gave the Grand Master my undivided attention.

"You're probably wondering why we asked you here…"

_Not really_, I thought, and then instantly clamped my thoughts down. I just really wanted him to stop talking so I could leave. Hadn't there been enough drama for one day?

"In order to prevent Anakin from disobeying our rules," the Jedi Master continued, flashing a pointed look his nephew's way, "the Council have devised a counter-action, of sorts. We would like him to spend some time with his family during his time away from the Order, and to make sure he arrives like we've asked, we want you to act as chaperone on the trip."

I was speechless, but really, what could I say? _No_? Not likely. You didn't say no to the Jedi Council. When they told you to leap, your response was expected to be "how high?"

So I nodded mutely. Not like it mattered. Luke's lips spread in a tight smile. Clearly, he didn't like this any more than I did.

"Thank you," the Jedi Master said. "May the Force be with you on your journey."

"May the Force be with you," Anakin and I intoned together.

We bowed in sync to the collection of Masters and Knights respectively, and then finally, we were free to leave. As we walked in the direction of my apartment complex, once again in tense silence, I tried to calmly compartmentalize my swirling thoughts.

The truth of the matter was that inside I was shaking like a leaf, and I couldn't concentrate enough to sort through _anything_! The Jedi Council had put me in charge of preventing a search-and-rescue attempt by Anakin. If it was any normal Jedi I'd been ordered to play babysitter for, everything would be fine: but this was Anakin Solo!

Somehow, I had a sinking feeling my escort duties wouldn't be as straightforward as the Council had thought.


	5. Chapter 3: White Wedding

_**Chapter 3: White Wedding.**_

It was all just a horrible nightmare. Anakin hadn't been suspended from the Order; I hadn't been given the onerous task of keeping a reckless Solo in check; and Jysella Horn hadn't been kidnapped by some strange group of Force-stealing men.

Oh yeah, and I wasn't getting married in two months – I was getting married today!

My exquisite, hand-made ivory satin and lace gown clung to my petite frame as I gazed at my reflection in the ornate-framed gold mirror. It truly was the most perfect collection of fabric and gemstones I had ever seen, and it looked even better on me than it did on the rack.

A sigh sounded from behind me, and I turned to see Leia standing at the back of the bridal suite, her large, brown eyes brimming with tears.

"You look beautiful," she said. Her tone was dripping with all the pride and delight of a first-time mother-of-the-bride.

Even though she was Anakin's mother and not mine, I couldn't think of anyone else I wanted here more. I couldn't remember my own mother; she'd passed away before I was little more than a young child, but if I could pick a mother now, I'd pick Leia over everyone else.

If you asked me why, I couldn't really tell you. Maybe it was because of how much she'd gone through in her life – losing her family and homeworld at a young age, fighting in a rebellion against her own father, and being forced to put life on the line when headhunters were after her children. Maybe it was because of how much she loved and cherished her family, and would literally die for them if it meant they lived just one more day for it.

Or maybe it was a combination of her love for her family and her strength of character. Leia was the strongest person I knew – stronger even than Anakin – and if I managed to be even half as strong as she was when I was her age, I'd know I'd lived a life to be proud of.

I grinned at her, my lips quivering with the effort it took to keep my emotions in check. Crying was out of the question for me at this point. My make-up was flawless – thanks, in large part, to Tionne – and I wanted to keep it that way; at least, until Anakin had seen me in all my ivory grandeur.

Then I could cry like a blubbering idiot for the rest of the wedding, if I wanted to. So long as my husband-to-be saw me at my beautiful best, that was all that mattered.

I gave Leia a loose hug (so as not to catch my cluster of gems on her own satin ensemble) and lightly kissed her cheek as she gave me a gently kiss on the forehead. She looked me over with soft eyes, taking in every inch of my radiant, bridal body: from the tips of my ivory heels to the glittering veil on top of my head.

"My son is the luckiest man in the galaxy," she breathed.

"Next to Mr. Solo, of course," I amended with a wink.

She smiled at this and let out an airy sort of giggle. "Yes," Leia agreed. "The Solo men certainly have a knack for choosing extraordinary women: Han chose me, an Aldeeranian princess and rebel leader; Jacen chose Tenel Ka, Queen of Hapes; and Anakin chose you, the most extraordinary of them all."

Her hand stroked my cheek as tenderly as if I were a newborn baby. I bit my bottom lip to stop it from shaking.

"I'm so glad you're finally going to be part of our family," Leia whispered, her hand still softly stroking my face. "I've thought of you as my daughter for such a long time, but today it's going to be official; and I couldn't be more happy or proud."

That was all it took. I was crying. As soon as Leia had finished her speech, I felt the warm sensation of two long, fat tears rolling down my perfectly made-up face. I laughed through the flood of emotion, wiping the tears away with the backs of my hands.

When I next looked up, I saw that Leia was wiping away her own tears, dabbing at her eyes with a delicate pastel pink handkerchief; her lips quirked at me beneath the square of fabric.

"Look at us!" she exclaimed. "Crying like a pair of girls!"

Her following laugh was just as light as before, and I soon found myself joining in with her, unable to stop as my laughter interspersed with my crying.

We certainly were a sight, and when Jaina came in to announce that it was time to go a few minutes later, I wasn't surprised to see the brief flash of alarm that flittered over her face as she took our in blotchy-eyed appearances. I batted away her concerned probing in the Force, assuring her that nothing terrible had happened, and that everything was ok.

"Tahiri will be out in a minute," Leia told her daughter.

After Jaina had left to go back to the assembly hall next door, Leia smoothed down my veil and adjusted the fall of my train. Her fingers lingered on a small curl of hair that had fallen out of my up-do during my bout of tears a few moments ago. With the warmth only a mother could possess, she tucked the strand behind my ear, giving the latter a loving squeeze.

"Come on," she said. "We don't want to keep your husband waiting."

_Husband!_ My heart soared at the word! In less than an hour, my biggest dream would become a reality: Anakin Solo would be my husband at long last. If it weren't for my already partially ruined make-up, I'd start to cry again.

As I got closer to the entrance of the hall, Leia peeled off and disappeared behind a small, antique wooden door, leaving me standing alone in the wide, scarlet-carpeted hallway.

I was suddenly nervous. It felt like a herd of rancors were trampling up and down in my stomach, leaving large, fiery tracks in their wake. Before I had a chance to get my nerves in check, the large, double doors opened in front of me, revealing a packed hall and over one hundred pairs of eyes all trained on me.

I gulped, reminding myself to breath. Instinctively, my eyes travelled up the plush carpet of the aisle, all the way to the very end, where my darling, soon-to-be-husband would be waiting for me.

My breath froze in my lungs, and I swear my heart stopped beating as my gaze came to the end of the aisle and met… nothing… nothing but empty air! I started to panic.

Where was Anakin? I wanted to scream, but I didn't dare; all eyes were still trained intently on me in my dream gown. I had to keep my cool, even if every part of me was screaming on the inside.

All of a sudden, every pair of staring eyes turned away from me and flickered to the front; to the exact position my own gaze was still frantically searching for signs of Anakin. I gasped in spite of myself, and took an involuntary step forward.

The space where Anakin should have been standing was no longer empty, but it wasn't Anakin that had moved into place.

"Jysella?" I called uncertainly, my forehead creasing in confusion.

The figure I'd guessed was Jysella Horn looked me in the eye and lurched towards me with disturbing speed. In a matter of seconds, she was standing directly in front of me, and I was able to see her more clearly.

My eyes widened and I shuddered as I really saw her: her too-white skin, sunken eyes with irises as black as night, and robed arms that stretched out at me in a way that suggested she wanted to rip the flesh from my bones.

I screamed a loud, guttural cry as she pitched forward again, her grasping hands latching onto my beautiful dress and tugging down hard, tearing the satin and lace from my skirt and leaving behind the tattered remains of a former masterpiece.

What was going on? Where was Anakin, what was Jysella doing here, and more importantly, why wasn't anyone stopping her?

I cried out again as Jysella knocked into me, sending me toppling over onto my back. She leant over me, a curtain of dark hair falling over one pale, exposed shoulder like a waterfall, and smiled. Her teeth were as soft as ivory, her gums as dark as blood.

I was helpless, and found I could no longer scream. My voice was gone, no one was going to save me, and all I could do was lie there and stare up at Jysella, waiting for her to do her worst.

She hissed at me, the sound low in her pallid throat, and then spoke; the same phrase, over and over again, like an echo. A ghostly, horrible echo.

"Why didn't you save me, Tahiri? Why didn't you save me? Why didn't you save me, Tahiri? Why didn't you save me?"

I woke up screaming, beads of perspiration rolling down my neck and back. Clutching at my pounding chest, I took a number of long, deep breaths, desperate to re-fill my burning lungs with precious air.

As I fought to control myself, I gave my surroundings a thorough once-over, taking in the square shadow of my wardrobe, the illuminated square of window to my left, and the four blurred red digits above my bedside table – my 24-hour alarm clock.

I groaned in relief. I was in my bedroom, in my Coruscant apartment, and I was alone. It had only been a dream: a nightmare, actually. But at least I knew that whatever it had been, it wasn't reality.

My sight lost its fuzziness, and I was able to read the time on the clock properly.

02:45

I flopped back down on my pillows and licked at my lips. They were dry and cracked, and my throat was parched. It felt like I'd swallowed a stick of fire whole. I groaned again, rubbing at my sleep-logged eyes. I'd only been asleep for just over two standard hours, and in less than four, I was due to meet Anakin at the main hanger.

This was just what I needed; to be suffering from severe sleep deprivation right before I had to escort a reckless Jedi to his family's ship, which was hovering somewhere near the outer atmosphere of Kashyyyk.

It wouldn't do to dwell on any of that now. Right now, I needed to soothe my dry throat. It was still burning. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the half glass of water next to the bed, lifting it in an invisible grasp with relative ease, given how exhausted I was. The glass hovered in mid-air for a moment, and then slowly started to glide its way towards me.

Eyes still closed, I opened my mouth a fraction, and with a flick of my wrist, a slow trickle of water began to feed itself onto my waiting tongue. I was feeling particularly lazy at this early hour of the morning.

Once my throat was covered in the soothing effects of the cool water, my mind was no longer diverted by the petty irritation, and quickly drifted back to the events of the dream. The more I tried to block the memory, the faster it swam to the surface, Jysella's ghostly, haunted face leering up at me from a sea of shredded satin: my wedding dress.

Without even really knowing why, I was crying; thick, hot streams of salty tears cascading down the panes of my face. In a matter of seconds, I was crying so hard that I could scarcely breathe, my body racked with painful, gasping sobs.

_This is ridiculous, Tahiri!_ I told myself sternly. _You're stronger than this!_

But no matter what I did, the sobs kept coming, my breath rattling harshly against my ribcage. I fisted my bedsheets in an effort to control the pain in my chest; but it was pointless. With no other options but to ride the wave of emotion out, I curled up in a tight ball, my hands hugging my knees, and rocked.

The entire time, Jysella's hungry, pitch black eyes were all that I could see.

04:56. My crying had finally subsided. I felt sluggish and weak, like I couldn't move even if I really wanted to: my legs were cramped from being balled up for so long, and my arms felt limp and rubbery, too heavy to truly belong to my body.

The dream still lingered in my mind, but it was easier to dispel than before. All that was left in its place was a muted feeling of unease, a thick black lump that I was sure would continue to rest in my stomach and at the edges of my consciousness, until this business with Jysella and the strange robed men was over and done with.

I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I had just over an hour until I was due to meet Anakin. A few more minutes of rest couldn't hurt.

06:12. Kriff! Stupid alarm not going off when it was supposed to! I cursed, as I flung my legs over the side of the bed, my head woozy from sleep. I rubbed at my eyes and tilted my head from side-to-side, stretching the taut muscles in my neck.

I gasped in pain as I found a tight spot, and reached over with one hand to massage it. Every muscle felt tender and wrong. I envisioned that this was what it would feel like to be trampled by a pack of Garrals. A sobering thought, compared to the rest that were swirling around in my addled mind.

Resigning myself to the fact that I was never going to be in perfect shape for this trip, I picked up my robe from its home on the floor and rushed into the nearby 'fresher. I desperately needed to get organised. I was now running _very_ late!

A quick glance in the wall mirror told me that I'd need to do something about my hair before I even _thought_ about leaving the building. My blonde curls were in disarray: one half was reasonably flat on my head, but the other was clumped together in a matt that could rival an Ewok's.

I grimaced. This would need water and a lather of soap to fix. I really didn't have the time for it, but I _was_ chaperone for my poster-boy fiancé. He'd just have to wait a little bit longer. Perfection took time.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dried and dressed, and giving myself an appraising once-over in my wardrobe mirror. I stuck my tongue out at my reflection. I was certainly far from reaching perfection – my skin had lost its gentle tan, there were red rings around my eyes from little sleep, and my hair had someone lost its usual bounce since I'd washed it – but it was a definite improvement on before, so it would have to do.

I levitated the equipment bag I'd hastily packed the night before and swung it in the direction of the open entryway. I grabbed the long travelling cloak I'd borrowed from Jaina for my last mission on my way out the door, pushing my arms through the too-long sleeves as I walked.

I caught sight of my reflection in the glass of a neighbouring window and froze, one arm half extended, the end of a grey sleeve hanging limply in the still air. For a moment, the image of a pale, spindly hand reaching out flashed through my mind.

Jysella.

"_Why didn't you save me, Tahiri? Why didn't you save me?"_

The sound of her voice was so clear and vivid in my head that it was almost like Jysella Horn was in the room with me; but that was crazy, right? I spun around quickly, just in case, searching for any evidence that might indicate Jysella was nearby. There was nothing.

I let out a small chuckle of relief. My arm still sat in the sleeve, bent at the elbow. With another short snigger and a shake of my head, I pushed the stationary limb all the way through.

It was ridiculous. I was afraid of a shadow; not even a shadow, really, but the after-effects of a nightmare that shouldn't bother me nearly this much.

Something on my leg started vibrating and beeping, and I jumped about three foot in the air. I rolled my eyes at my own nonsensicality, and pulled back a corner of the grey cloak. My comm. was ringing. I should have known.

Two fast clicks of the side button, and the incoming call was connected. I spoke into the mouth piece.

"Tahiri Veila."

A blast of static followed my voice, and then the reply came through, somewhat crackly. "Tahiri, I'm glad I caught you!"

Even though there was a lot of interference on the line, I could pick the voice a mile off. It was Master Skywalker, and he sounded as relieved as I'd felt mere seconds ago.

"Master Skywalker! I know I'm late; I was just on my way to the hanger now."

There was a pause, in which I winced, waiting for his reprimand. It never came. "Look, Tahiri, I don't have much time, but I need you to do something for me."

_Again_? I was escorting a suspended Jedi – who just happened to be the most reckless of the entire Order, and, oh yeah, my _fiancé_ – what more could they possibly need?

I didn't say any of that, of course. Instead, I said: "Shoot."

"I was wondering if you could alter the flight path we gave you yesterday; just by a few days or so. We'd really appreciate it if you could."

I could hear tension in Master Skywalker's voice, and I didn't like it. I need more information.

"Why?" I asked, not bothering to hide the suspicion in my tone. Even with the static, I was sure the Grand Master would pick it up.

There was another pause, longer this time, as if Master Skywalker was weighing up just how much he should tell me. Finally, his soft tone cut through the on-going crackle.

"We've had a lead on the kidnapping case. It seems our friends are hosting another Jedi Tryout on Commenor in three days' time. I've already sent a team of Jedi to investigate, but I don't want Anakin tempted to take action of his own, and since your allocated flight path runs –"

"I understand, Master Skywalker," I said, cutting him off. He was asking me to divert the course away from Commenor. It was done easily enough.

"Thank you, Tahiri. I knew I could trust you. Tell my nephew that I want him to contact me en route to the _Falcon_."

"I will. May the Force by with you, Master."

"And you, Tahiri."

I clicked off my comm.

So, the Jedi had found a new lead, one that would hopefully lead them to Jysella Horn. I frowned. Jysella's pleading question floated around in my thoughts once more.

"_Why didn't you save me, Tahiri? Why didn't you save me?"_

I had a big decision to make.


	6. Chapter 4: Detour

_**Chapter 4: Detour.**_

I needed some space, which I was going to be hard-pressed to find, given the fact that the ship I was stuck in for the next three days was little more than ten feet long, and half of that was taken up by equipment and storage devices.

I unclipped myself from the co-pilot's chair and stormed across the short distance to the cabin doors. Anakin Solo was trying on my last nerve, and if I didn't get out of the confines of the cockpit – and away from his probing questions – then I was sure I would snap. And it wouldn't be pretty.

Just as I'd moved to push the pressure switch to open the door, I heard a chair swivel behind me, and instantly locked down my mind. No way was I going to let Anakin catch me off guard; not on this trip.

A frustrated sigh followed the swivel, and I allowed myself a small smirk of triumph. So far, so good. I punched the button hard, and the door opened with a loud hiss.

"Tahiri?"

I paused mid-step, mentally cursing myself for thinking I could get away from him so easily. He _was_ my fiancé, after all, and it wasn't his fault I was going through an internal battle with my conscience.

"What?" I tried – and failed – to make my tone sound a little less petulant than I felt.

"Are you feeling ok? You seem a little… tense."

Tense? That was the understatement of the century! Instead of admitting that, however, I threw him a withering glare over my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I bit back, my tongue curling, "But it's you who should be tense: you're the one who's just been suspended from the Jedi Order. Perhaps you should remember that the next time you decide to ask me another pointless question."

And with that, I flounced out of the cabin, slamming down on the 'close' button on my way out. If I'd glanced back, I would have clearly seen the enormous amount of hurt my words had etched into Anakin's face; as it was, I was in such a hurry to get away from him that I barely even felt his mood shift through our Force-bond.

I didn't want to be so cruel to Anakin. I felt wretched at the thought of the lasting damage I may or may not be inflicting on the person I adored most in the galaxy, and disgusted at how easy it was for me to treat him in such a way. I was supposed to be madly in love with him, yet I was treating him worse than I would an enemy.

I felt like crying, but I didn't dare. Anakin was already suspicious enough of my behaviour, without me turning on the waterworks. It would probably help matters if I were crueller to him still; he'd be less-likely to catch on to what was really bothering me – the dream, and whether or not to stage a rescue mission of my own for Jysella – but I knew I couldn't do that, either. I'd already wreaked enough pain on the poor man.

Once I was sure I was as alone as I was ever going to be, I leant against the cool wall of the inner cabin, closed my eyes, and sorted through my jumble of thoughts.

We'd been in and out of lightspeed jumps for just over a day. It felt like an eternity. After my conversation with Luke, I'd made my way to the hanger as quickly as possible; arriving just over forty minutes later than if I'd woken up on time. Anakin had already been there waiting, his bags lined up in a neat little row in front of the tiny ship the Council had leant us for Anakin's temporary exile.

It really was tiny. At ten feet long, six feet wide and seven feet tall, I wasn't sure at the time that Anakin would even be able to stand fully upright in it. Thankfully, he could, but there was little else that had impressed me about this ship. It was nothing like the sleek, living vessel that I'd received from Zonama Sekot. I loved that ship; it was almost like a sibling, not that I'd ever really had one of those.

Still, it was chugging along fairly well for such a small ship, especially for one so full of equipment. Anakin had brought almost an entire apartment's worth of gear with him. I hadn't even bothered to ask what was in the three big, long bags he'd stowed away in the rear compartment shell. I'd told myself I didn't really want to know.

I allowed myself to slowly slide down the wall, my knees buckling below me as I curled into a crouch on the cold, hard panels of the cabin floor. One day in and I still wasn't any closer to figuring out what I was going to do about my lightspeed jump to Commenor. We were due to refuel there in less than forty-eight hours' time, and I'd made no changes to the flight path as yet.

I'd promised Master Skywalker that I wouldn't let Anakin anywhere near the planet that was housing the next round of Jedi tryouts, yet I couldn't bring myself to divert from the present course. Perhaps it was because of my dream, which had recurred again last night; or perhaps it was a subconscious desire of my own to be reckless for once, to let go and do something for the good of the galaxy, and not just because it was what I was ordered to do.

I wasn't going to lie; the nightmare of the pale, dark-eyed Jysella still disturbed me, even now. I remembered something Master Horn had once told me about Force-visions, and how some Jedi were able to see the future. Not for the first time, I wondered whether my recurring nightmare was a premonition, of sorts: whether my vision of Jysella was a sample of what might happen if I didn't intervene, and left the rescue attempt up to Master Skywalker and the rest of the Jedi.

If that were the case, then it was possible that I would be able to change that outcome by choosing a different path. The future was always in motion; that was what Master Skywalker always said, and if I were to, say, choose to disobey a direct order and refuel on Commenor after all, perhaps I could change Jysella's fate.

I opened my eyes, and for the first time since Jysella had invaded my dreams, I could see clearly, without the overhanging haze of unease and guilt. I smiled. If I could save Jysella by taking a short detour to Commenor, then I'd do it.

At this point, anything was worth a short. Besides, Jysella Horn was a lovely girl, and the daughter of a man who was also close to my heart. She didn't deserve the fate she'd been given in my nightmare. I had to try and change it if I could.

Now that I'd made my decision, a cold knot of dread began to form in the pit of my stomach, where the dark cloud of anxiety had lived until I'd lifted it moments ago. I was really doing this – I was really going to disobey a direct order from the Jedi Council.

I swallowed bile as it crept stealthily up my throat. Oh, Force, I was going to get expelled for this!

A knock on the cabin door alerted me to the fact that Anakin was just outside. I stood hastily from my crumpled crouch on the deck, smoothing down the wrinkles that had formed in my loose flight clothes, and announced in the clearest voice I could manage, "Come in."

He didn't come all the way into the room. The door slid open slowly, and for a moment, the only thing visible was the top of his sandy head. He was looking down at the floor; his shoulders slumped in a defeatist position. I instantly felt a pang of guilt that I didn't bother to hide. This was my doing, and I felt even more wretched for it than before.

My heart went out to him. No one deserved this, not even if they were half-responsible for the kidnapping of someone else's daughter. I inched towards him, unsure of exactly what to say. An apology didn't seem anywhere near good enough at this point; too many hurtful things had been said.

I cleared my throat, vowing to be brave about all this. After all, Anakin had been brave enough to face another possible verbal attack in coming to see me now; the least I could do was summon enough courage to face up to what I'd done, in person. I decided to start with an apology, at least. The rest, I would work out along the way.

"Anakin, I…"

He looked up then, his face a mixture of poorly concealed grief, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. I noticed he was shielding at an enormous rate, and I immediately grew suspicious.

He spoke before I had a chance to accuse him of anything. "I owe you an apology," he said, his lips quirking in a half-hearted attempt at his famous Solo grin.

I shook my head. "No, it's me who should be apologising. What I said to you before –"

"Was the truth," Anakin interjected mildly. "And sometimes the truth hurts."

I tried to interrupt, but he held up a hand to silence me, and continued. "I don't deny that it hurt me; the truth is it did, quite a lot more than I'd expected, actually. But I wasn't being fair to you. I understand you're under a lot of pressure at the moment, and my constant probing can't have helped matters."

"No," I admitted, forgoing my own efforts at an apology for the time being. "But that still doesn't excuse the way I've been treating you. I knew you must have been upset at the Council's decision to suspend you, but instead of being sympathetic about it, I rubbed it in your face. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," he told me lightly. His expression turned cautious. "So long as you accept mine, too?"

"Of course," I said at once. "It's forgotten, Anakin."

I leant forward to wrap my arms around him in a comforting hug, but he sidestepped my waiting embrace, his cheeks flushing scarlet. I had the audacity to look slightly put out by his shun.

He blushed brighter as I stared at him, perplexed. "There's more," he said at last, ducking his gaze away from mine. "I have a confession to make… its sort of why I came to see you; I couldn't go without telling you any longer."

My eyes narrowed at this, my mind flicking to the image of the three large bags I'd watched him load into the cargo hold. "What have you done now?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

Anakin grinned sheepishly, playing with the locking mechanism on the door behind him. "I kind of… hacked into your comm. the night before we left Coruscant."

"You WHAT?"

He looked at my rapidly reddening face for a second before his gaze flickered away again. "I'm sorry; I thought it would come in handy, you know, if Master Skywalker decided to contact you with any, ah, information. Turns out I was right."

Realisation dawned on me like a Tattooinian sunrise. The little so-and-so had done it again! Just when I thought I'd worked out all of the tricks up his sleeve, my fiancé pulled out another showstopper.

"You heard my conversation with your uncle. You've known all this time." My tone was impassive, my expression deadpan. I was shocked more than anything. I was sure to be furious with him later, but right now my astonishment outweighed every other emotion in my arsenal.

He merely nodded, too ashamed to speak. I wished I had the desire to slap him. He deserved it right now. Tapping my private comm. channel? What was he thinking?

"I'm sorry," he offered again, though it meant little to me at this point.

Anakin's level of dishonesty had surprised me, in the worst possible way. It made me wonder just how much else he'd lied about to me. Did he even love me as much as he said he did? I know it seemed like he did, but maybe he was simply letting me tag along because I was easy to manipulate. I was deeply in love with him: it would be convenient for him to use this to his advantage, while he could.

I shook my head, appalled that I was even contemplating such a thing. Of course Anakin loved me; he'd proposed to me, we were getting married. I was a poor fiancé, indeed, for daring to question his commitment to me. Maybe it meant I didn't love _him_ enough?

I was beyond confused. I just wanted this nightmare to end.

I looked up at him, pouring calm and acceptance into our bond. His head tilted until it was resting against the doorframe, and he smiled at me tentatively.

Telling him I forgave him for his dishonesty seemed a touch too lenient at this point, so I compromised, and said in its place, "It isn't important right now. What _is_ important is finding Jysella and getting her home safely."

Anakin thoroughly agreed with this statement.

"I don't suppose you've had time to give the matter any thought?" I asked with a small sigh. I knew he'd had plenty of time to think: he'd probably even started to plan the minute he'd listened in on my conversation with Luke.

"Well, now that you mention it…" Anakin began with a wink and a smirk.

As he started to pull out comm. reports and building layouts from an equipment satchel he'd stashed under our bunk, I tried to keep myself optimistic about the whole thing. The truth of the matter was that even though I should be relieved that I was finally taking a stand and going to help Jysella, the only thing I could think of was how disappointed Master Skywalker would be when he found out what I'd done.


End file.
